Next to You
by Starmz
Summary: Lucy starts having strange thoughts in the middle of the night, and to be honest, well, she has no idea what they mean. Will Mirajane, the infamous matchmaker, and Erza, the not-so-renowned-matchmaker be able to couple these two best friends up? ; Two-shot


**AN: I'm back, everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the frequent updates (if one a day each story is considered frequent), but unless Summer rolls around real early this is not at all guaranteed to stay like this. So enjoy it while it lasts! :]**

**Genre:** Romance, humour, drama

**Rating: **K+/T

**Pairing:** NaLu (Natsu x Lucy) – Best friends turned lovers~?

Not a preferred ship for me, but as it is requested by a very good friend of mine (Blueydays) I relent.

**Synopsis:** She's his everything. He's hers. But do they have enough nerve to confess? Ironically, this includes the Dragon Slayer who never gives up and the mage who loves her friends.

**Disclaimer:** You know. I don't own Fairy Tail (which belongs to Hiro Mashima) and the only thing that is allllll mine is the writing and story. And perhaps not even the story, for I would say this borders on being clichéd(;

* * *

_2 o'clock and I wish that I was sleeping_

Recently, I had been waking up in the middle of the night. To be precise, 2 am. It did wonders for my magical performance; that is, it lowered it drastically. Nothing drained your capability as a mage than being groggy and sleepy and generally looking horrible in the morning. When I went out on jobs, I felt as if I may as well just be rejected by the looks snooty upper-class people gave me, or the hollow laughs I was sure were directed at me.

_You're in my head like a song on the radio_

Not only that, but my temper was short and my tolerance had plummeted. Everything was dreary and tiring. My best friend, Natsu, and his other best friend Happy couldn't even cheer me up. It was sad, really, because in the past Natsu had always cheered me up. Always. He was a shining beacon in my life – the lighthouse that had sought me out and rescued me from the choppy waters of my previous life. Even in the most grim of moments, he would be cheery and laugh everything off. When facing enemies, he would play around for a while, always trying to entertain. But when he took the gloves off, it wasn't as if he had been bluffing. After all, he had a reputation for being our Salamander for a reason!

_All I know is that I gotta get next to you_

No, when he became serious he was determined. He faced things head-on, but always with a smile. Always laughing. Always grinning. I'd always wondered how he managed to be so resilient. Was it because he'd been raised by a dragon? Perhaps. But then Gajeel wasn't nearly as optimistic … I tend to believe that Natsu was born like that, just as Wendy always had the trait of being as sweet as sugar. Natsu was also powerful, protecting us all. We weren't helpless, of course! I can just imagine Erza if one were to tell her she was weak. Oh, that person's screams would echo in our minds for quite some time.

_Sitting here turning minutes into hours,_

I sighed and tucked several strands of my wispy blond hair behind my ear, before taking a look at the stars. The clock positioned neatly above Magnolia's Town Hall informed me that it was just 10 minutes past 2. I should go back to sleep, but as before, my thoughts kept me up. Hugging my legs to my chest, I rested my head on my knees, facing the open window. It was relatively cool, but as a warm spring breeze brushed the side of my face I could only feel lucky. Lucky for what? Well, lucky that I was leading a great life.

_To find the nerve just to call you on the telephone_

I mean, I had wonderful friends that were willing to sacrifice their lives like me. It was like a family I never had, but with uncountable numbers, for the whole of Fairy Tail was part of my family now. My best friends, especially, would never hesitate to hurt the person that dared to harm me. I was a lot more precious to them than I valued myself. Not to say I would willingly throw my life away, for my mother had taught me the fragility of life, but in the end, I wasn't as big an asset as, say, Erza or Gray was. They were powerful. I myself was not, for my spirits were the ones which did all the fighting.

_'Cause you don't know that I gotta get next to you_

As yet another soft wind caressed my face, lifting my light hair, I felt a smile and approved of the subconscious motion. I'd read somewhere that simply smiling put you in a better mood, and at such a beautiful time I really should be doing something more productive than feeling sorry for myself. I was counting my blessings, and my friends were only one (if very large) of them. Another was the ability to finally become a mage and fulfil my dreams. I could travel around, seeing the world, with my friends and helping people.

_Maybe we're friends,_

There was just so much to be thankful for, and I knew that. Letting out a contented sigh, I leaned out of the window, admiring the view. Sure, it was dark. But far above me, I felt the comforting presence of somebody watching over me. My mother, definitely. However, being a Celestial Spirit magic-user, I could also sense others. It only made me mildly surprised before I remembered that being a part of Fairy Tail, Mavis, the founder, would be watching over me. Of course.

_Maybe we're more,_

All I knew was that I was extremely lucky. And oh, I knew it. How could I ever repay all these amazing people back?

_Maybe it's just my imagination_

Closing the curtains, I reflected on my feelings presently. I really needed to get to the root of this problem. Waking up helped me have a clear head temporarily and ponder the mysteries of life and whatnot, but the toll it had on the others was simply not worth it. There had to be something keeping me up!

_That I see you stare for just a little too long;_

I promised to ask somebody about it tomorrow. Maybe Levy-chan would know. After all, Gajeel and her had started off a little bit weirdly, but they were both so adorable together! She was short, he was tall, she was caring, he was gruff, but they both had hearts of gold. And, I was sure, they both loved each other very much. In a relationship, I knew there was much more to it but nurturing each other and bringing out your partner's best sides … that was one of the most important facets.

_That it makes me start to wonder_

Wait. Why was I even wondering about this? Of course I wasn't remotely in love, or even crushing on someone! I did occasionally find certain people cute, but that was it. Being female, is it weird to appreciate the other gender's looks? Of course not! It's natural. It's human. It doesn't mean I like someone just because I think they're cute, handsome, strong, wonderful and oh-so-right. So what if I had a deep bond and friendship that would provide a stable base to form a -

_So baby, call me crazy_

Alright. Too much thinking. She was being stupid. I, Lucy Heartfilia, did not like anybody romantically. There. My word. I couldn't go back on it now, for on my honour and pride, I'd sworn never to destroy the value of a promise that a Celestial mage made.

_But I think you feel it too_

Satisfied, I settled down into a relaxed sleep, knowing that ahead of me were jobs to finish and duties to complete.

- Time skip -

_Baby I, I gotta get next to you._

I awoke to the sound of birds chirping, and the wind blowing directly into my face. I shut my eyes tight, hoping to preserve those last beautiful moments in my mind. Yawning wide, I then rose from bed, ready to start a fresh new day just how it should be started. By facing it, with new hopes, wishes and dreams.

_I asked around and I heard that you were talking_

Alright, perhaps that was a little too drastic. I focused on just getting through this day, doing her best and having fun with her friends. That wasn't too hard, right? Smiling, I skipped off to the bathroom to freshen herself up and prepare for the rest of the day.

_Told my girl that you thought I was outta your league_

After doing so, I stood in front of the mirror. Twirling several strands of my hair, I wondered what I should wear. Obviously just something casual, like I always did. But hey, I had to look my best. Not that I wasn't already adequately cute (oh, the woes of being overly attractive!) but what if they were going somewhere fancy? Erza could requip and none of the guys minded, and Wendy was a little young to be worrying about that (though with that Dragon Slayer fretting about her chest, I wasn't so sure anymore) but I had to be prepared for every occasion!

_What a fool; I gotta get next to you_

Staring at myself, I was suddenly intrigued by my thoughts. Had I finally snapped, then? Why was I thinking about these kind of things? A little peeved, I shook my head, making sure to focus only on picking out something nice to wear. In the end, I settled on a strappy orange top, contrasting nicely with a denim mini-skirt. Ah, how reminiscent of our first meeti- no! That was not what I needed right now!

_Yeah, it's 5 in the morning and I can't go to sleep_

Throwing on some white heels, I smirked at my reflection. Things that were barely knee-length were my forte. They accentuated my curvaceous figure and, oh. The life of a beautiful woman was not as enviable as some may think!

_'Cause I wish, yeah I wish you knew what you mean to me_

Brushing my straight hair out of it's bedridden state, I hummed a joyful tune as I did so. Wondering how I should do my hair, I had subconsciously started to twirl several handfuls of golden locks into a plait before it hit me. Why was I worrying about such petty things? For Mavis' sake, usually I didn't even have to think about these before! Shocked at my girlish behaviour, I frowned a little deciding to continue. _A girl needs to indulge in her own relaxation time sometimes._

_Baby let's get together and end this mystery_

It felt good to tell myself something firm and unrelenting. I would not bend, not this time. Picking up all of my hair, I started braiding it, just like my mother would sometimes do for fancy occasions. _Mama … would you be proud of me now?_

_Maybe we're friends_

Searching for my keys, I found them where I normally left them – on a chair conveniently placed right next to my bed. Smiling at the familiar jangle of those metal keys that called my friends, my spirits into battle, I headed out. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I really thought that something special was going to happen today. If nothing, I had good luck.

_Maybe we're more,_

Merrily bounding out of my house, the boatmen greeted me with a friendly wave and a call.

_Maybe it's just my imagination_

"Miss, be careful not to fall into the water!"

"Don't worry, I won't!"

_But I see you stare for just a little too long_

The sun was shining, trees were rustling and I could just feel that time coming around again. When Magnolia's cherry trees would bloom and blossom, rosy pink sakura petals would fall during the day, and then when night came the truly wondrous change would take place. Stunning rainbow petals would start falling as if someone had sprinkled all the hues nature brought forth on Magnolia. Grinning at the memory, I still remembered the day Natsu had towed a cherry tree right outside my window, just so I could witness that spectacular event. _He really is very caring, sometimes. Even if he can be so dense._

_And it makes me start to wonder_

Finally, I had arrived at Fairy Tail. My guild seemed to be a blazing, shining example of friendship in the bright sunlight. As I pushed open the wooden doors and heard a 'crash!' as chairs were flung here and there, I only gave everyone a wide beam and declared my arrival.

_So baby, call me crazy_

"Hello everyone! It's great to see that everything's just the way it should be!"

_But I think you feel it too_

Of course, no one bothered to respond, likely due to the deafening clatter ringing in their ears. But I was used to that. It was part of a Fairy Tail member's daily life, after all, and I had grown to admire the way we all accepted, if not necessarily understood each other.

_Maybe I, I just gotta get next to you_

I had not taken more than a few steps before I was tackled by a particular bluenette. Ah, Levy. Who else?

_Whatcha got to say?_

"Lu-chan! Welcome back!"

"Levy-chan! It wasn't as if I had been gone forever, I mean, I just went back home."

"Well … yes, but I missed you."

"Don't you have Gajeel now?"

"Lu-chan!"

"I'm just kidding, Levy-chan~"

_Whatcha got to do?_

Her expression was priceless, and I gave her a reassuring smile before whispering in her ear, "He's a real catch, I suppose. At least I know he'll protect you."

_How do you get the one you want to want to get next to you?_

Levy only blushed furiously and I tweaked my white ribbon. She was so fun to tease!

_Whatcha say?_

"Hey, you sayin' anything weird to my girlfriend, blondie?"

_Whatcha do?_

Looking up, I wasn't surprised that the gruff voice belonged to a certain Dragon Slayer. I only gave him a complying look and a smile that clearly said, 'She was my best friend before she was ever your girlfriend.' Taking a hint, Gajeel slid off to a nearby table, keeping his eyes on Levy.

_How do you get the one you want to want to get next to you?_

I looked down at the girl, who was still hugging me. Her blush had subsided, and I led her over to a table where Erza, Laki and several other of the girls were sitting. Giving her a hopeful smile, I started to describe my predicament that had been bothering me for several days straight.

_Whatcha got to say?_

"... And there you have it. I always wake up at night, thinking various thoughts about … things. Which. Um. Includes, strangely, some about _him._"

_Whatcha got to do?_

My best friend's eyes widened, and for a moment I sorely hoped that she wasn't going to go all starry-eyed on me. The last I needed was somebody who only egged me on to try and find out if the problem was _him_. Oh, if it was, I was going to make him pay for feeling this way.

_How do you get the one you want to want to get to next to you?_

"Lu-chan! It's obvious, isn't it?"

"W-what is?"

_Whatcha got to say?_

A devious smirk crossed her features as she took a deep breath and mentally steeled herself. Frowning, I did the same. Whenever Levy had that look, you knew that you were probably in for something that wasn't quite to your liking.

_Whatcha got to do?_

"You llllllllllike him!"

"She llllllllllikes him!"

"What? No, I don't! And Happy, wherever did you come from?"

_How d'ya get the one you want to want to get next to you?_

My question was more than just an expression of confusion, for if Happy was here, there was no doubt that _he_ was close behind. Shooting a pointed look at Levy, who was only staring at me with an amused expression, I sighed and turned to Erza in defeat. If there was anyone who would be level-headed with me about this, it would be the red-head.

_Yeah, yeah_

"Hey, Erza?"

"Yes, Lucy?"

"If … if you've been waking up at night and you constantly think about things, your life, and also, uh, some certain person... it doesn't mean anything right?"

_To want to get next to you_

The mage only answered with wide eyes, not much different from Levy. I mentally smacked myself on the forehead. Surely Erza wasn't like this too? I'd always seen her as tough, vulnerable but in a strong way, steely and not soft at the most tender of moments.

_Maybe we're friends_

"Lucy! You must tell me, who is this person? It is a boy, is it not?"

"W-what! Who do you take me for?"

"Lucy."

_Maybe we're more_

Erza was glaring daggers at me, I was sure. A menacing aura had surrounded her and right now? I only feared for my life. _I-I see why everyone's so afraid of her.._

_Maybe it's just my imagination,_

"Is it somebody in our guild?"

"Why would you think that?"

_But I see you stare just a little too long_

I could do this. I was Lucy Heartfilia. I was composed. I was calm. I was cool.

_And it makes me wonder_

"Is it … one of our friends?"

Her voice had lowered to a quiet whisper, as if we were conspiring about something. I only sweat-dropped and gulped. Unable to say much past the lump that had stuck itself in my throat, I nodded.

_So baby call me crazy_

"IS IT GRAY?"

_But I think you feel it too_

Unfortunately, Erza seemed to have forgotten that she was the one who had initiated the 'hush-hush' rule and risen her voice. Cringing from the fact everyone had suddenly focused on them both, I could only slap myself on the forehead. This time, there was an actual physical impact.

_Baby call me crazy_

"No! It's not him and would you please keep it down?"

_But I know you feel it too._

Just at that moment, a pink-haired boy skidded towards us. Apparently he wasn't too bad at blending into the fight-scenes. Groaning, I could feel stares from certain people I didn't want. Erza, Gray, Juvia, Natsu, Levy, Gajeel and Mirajane to name the most prominent of them.

_Maybe I, maybe I_

"L-look, can we discuss this later?"

Nodding, Erza had enough tact to go back to eating her cake. Letting out a relieved sigh, I turned to come face-to-face with our Natsu. Wait. _Our _Natsu? It wasn't like there were any more of him, right? Except for that incident in Edolas, but that was all in the past now and we were on Earthland.

_Just got to get next to you_

"Gray what? You what with Gray? Oh, don't tell me – did he tell you that I could never beat him? Because trust me, that stripper has no idea what he's talking about. In fact, that popsicle was probably just boasting to make himself look better!"

"Uh, no, it was nothing like that Natsu..."

"Then did he tell you anything bad about me? I thought you'd know enough about me to not believe such things, Luce!"

"Natsu. I told you, we weren't talking about that!"

"Then what was it?"

"I- I don't want to talk about it."

"AHA! It was about me right?"

_Yeah, yeah, yeah_

I flinched, not wanting to pursue this conversation any longer, and looked for an opening out. Mira was gesturing with a 'come-here' motion. There was a strange glimmer in her sapphire eyes I didn't like, but I really did not want to have my day turn out badly. Most of all, not with _him_.

_I just got to get next to you_

Getting up, I went over to sit next to Mira. Natsu followed me with his eyes, as did everyone else, but I simply ignored them. Unease clouded my eyes as I tilted my head, curious.

_(Next to you)_

"What is it, Mira?"

She leaned in closer, secretively. I did too, now extremely interested.

"You like Natsu, don't you?"

I will admit that I took all of 3 seconds to absorb this before I pulled back. My shock was written all over my features, and I hastily rearranged them into something more ordinary as everyone started tittering.

"What would make you think that?"

Stealing several glances at the aforementioned Fire user, who was now picking a fight with Gray, I felt heat rush up to my face.

"The way you look at him. For instance, just now. Your bond is also very close, it reminds us all of how Lisanna was with him before. She even asked to be his wife several times!"

A tinkling laugh escaped the white-haired beauty, and I could only put my head in my hands. This was really a little embarrassing. Honestly, could a girl not get some privacy? Or was I just that easy to read?

"Don't worry, you managed to fall for _him_ so I don't think he knows yet. And I think you have a chance, too! It's not like you two are going on any jobs today, right? Your rent has been paid for next month as well as this one, and you two share a bond so tight that I'm surprised he hasn't publicly confessed yet. Then again, it's Natsu."

Giving me a smile, not one of pity but of encouragement, Mira resumed cleaning the tabletop. My first reaction was to deny this, but when I thought about it, it did make a little bit of sense. _A little bit?_ Okay, fine. It made a lot of sense. It also resolved my issue of randomly waking up for no reason at all. Well, now I'd found my answer and my reason.

Frowning at Mira, I told her about my erratic sleep schedule, hoping she'd have some remedy.

"Do you know what could cure this?"

She placed her chin on her hand, thinking deeply about this before answering with an optimistic disposition:

"Nothing that doesn't involve Natsu, at least!"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I think it's your body, or Fate's way of telling you that maybe it's time for you to come clean with your feelings. He might not understand them but if you try hard enough, words won't be needed. You both have very passionate hearts and I'm sure that he'll be able to detect them when the time comes."

Pondering this, I could only accept them, hoping that I wouldn't have to resort to that. Her confidence was something to be impressed about, for she seemed to honestly believe I had a chance. Hah. I'd likely only destroy our wonderful friendship.

"Alright. Thanks, Mira."

"By the way, if you need any help … I think I have some ideas."

It wouldn't be unfair to say that I was a bit alarmed by this, right? But then, if I declined Mira might burst into tears. And it wasn't just males who was affected, anyone would feel guilty about making Mira cry. Not to mention the wrath of Elfman would surely arrive in the torturous forms of, "That's not what a man would do!"

I mused and let out a long, drawn out sigh. Life couldn't be any more hectic or troublesome or less Fairy Tail-ish right now, so what did I have to lose? Grinning at her, I nodded. I had a good feeling about this, which only proved I'd completely lost my mind.

"Sure."

"That's great, Lucy! Be sure to look pretty tomorrow!"

"Of course, don't I everyday?"

Turning around, I went back to sit with Levy and Erza, the latter who was still savouring her cake. Nervously smiling at Levy, I moaned,

"Levy … was Mira this bad when you first started with Gajeel?"

The Solid Script mage could only pat my head sympathetically, although the effect was lessened considerably by her conniving little giggles.

Perhaps I really had gone off the deep end this time.

* * *

_Alright, this most definitely was not the best of my works! However, my muse decreased significantly half-way through and I realized I didn't have much plot or ideas for this. I've also decided to separate this from the Fluff Diaries, as I mostly want to keep that as long-ish short stories/drabbles that don't take up two or more chapters. This definitely will be extending to two (possibly more if needed, though I deem that unlikely) chapters at the least so I didn't want to waste space in my drabbles :)_

_My next update will come very soon, as will another one for the Fluff Diaries!_

_Got lots of ideas for the latter, yes I do~_

_Lyrics from 'Next to You' by Jordin Sparks_


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